Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-03
HOW LIFE IS MEASURED
REV, TALMAGE PREACHES A
NEW YEARS SERMON.

Dy NOOU SIHD0aTNS.
BROOKLYN, Jan. 2.--rhls morning al
the Tabernacle the Rev. T. Dewitt Tai.
mage, d. D., eXpounded some passages
of Scripture concerning the longevity oil
the patrlarchs. He gave out the hymn
beginning:
My days are gliding swiftly by,
And l., pilgrim stranger,
Would not detain them "a they fly,
Those hours of toll and danger.
His text was Genesis Xviii, s: "How
old art tnou?" The preacher said:
The Egyptian capital was the focus Of
the worlds wealth. In ships and barges,
there had been brought to it from India
frankincense, and cinnamon, and ivory,
and diamonds; from the North, marble
and iron; from Syria, purple and silk
from Greece, some of the finest horses OF
the world, and some of the most brilliant
chariots; aud from all the earth that
which could best please the eye, and
charm the ear. and crafty the taste.
There were temples afiame with red sand
stone, entered by the gateways that
were guarded by pillars bewildering with
hierogl yphice, and wound with brazen
serpents. and adorned with winged crea-
tures-their eyes, and beaks, and pinions
EIltlSlink WtSh pACSIOhS otOueSs Iutip
were marble columns blooming into white
flower beds; there were stone pillars, at
the top bursting into the shape of the
lotus when in full bloom. Along the
avenues, lined with sphynX, and fame, and
obellsk, there were princes VINO came In
gorgeously- upholstered palanquin car
RED by servants IN scarlet, or
elsewhere drawn by vehicles
the snow-w hite horses, golden Ditted, and
six abreast, dashiug at full run. There
were fountains from stone-wreathed vase
climbing the ladders OF the light. You
would hear bolt shove, land door of bras
would open like flash OF the sun. The
surround NJ gardens were saturated wita
ouOrs that mounted the terrace and DRIP
ped from the arbors, and burned their
incense in the Egyptian noon. On floors
of mosaic the glories of PharaOn were
spelled out in letters of porphyry, and
beryl, and flame. There were ornaments
twisted from the wood of Tamarisk,
embossed with silver breaking
into foam. There were tootsto is
made out OF single precious stone.
There were beds fashioned out of
crouched lion in bronze. There were
chairs spotted with the sleek hides Of
le0pards. There were sofas footed with
the claws OF wild beasts and armed with
the beaks OF birds. As you stand on the
level beach OF the sea on a summer day,
and look either way, and there are miles
of breakers, white with the ocean foam,
dashing shOreward; so it seemed as If the
sea OF the'world's pomp and wealth in tue
Egyptian capital for miles and miles flung
itself up into white breakers of marble
temple, mausOleum and obellsk.
1t was to this capital and the palace OF
Pharaoh that Jacob, the plain shepherd
came 10 meet his son Juseph, who had be-
come Prime Minister In the royal apart
ment. Pharaoh and Jacob meet, dignity
and rusticity, the Sracefulness OF the
court and the plain manners of the field.
The king wanting to make the old country
man at ease, and seeing how white his
beard is and how feeble bis step, looks
iamiIarly into his face and says to the
aged man "HOw old art thnuW
Night before last the gate of eternity
opened to let in. amid the great thrOng OF
departed centuries, the soul of the diving
year. Under the twelfth stroke of the
brazen hammer of the city clock, the
patriarch fell dead, and the stars of the
2ht were the funeral torches. 1t is most
fortunate that on this road of life there
are So many mlestones, ON which we can
read just how fast we are going toward
the journeys end. / feel that IL is not az
inappropriate question tnat l ask to-day.
when | look into your faces, and say. a
Pharaoh did to Jacob, the patriarch:
''HOw old art th0up'
People who are truthful on every other
subject, lie about their ages, so that do
not solicit from you any literal response
to the question | have asked. | would
put no one under temptation, but ! Simply
want, this morning, to see by what rod 1t
is we are measuring our earthly exis-
tence. There is right way and wrong
way of measuring door, or " wall, or an
arch, or a tower, and so there is right
way and wrong way of measuring our
earthly existence. 1t is with reference 70
this higher meaning that | confront yCu
III S morning with the stu endous questI, n
of be { xt, and ask: "HOw old art thpu?
There are many who estimate their lie
bV mere worldly qualification. When
Lord Dundas was wished a happY New
Year, he said: 1T will have to be hap.
pier wear tnan the past, for hadn't one
happy moment in all the twelve months
that have gone" But that has not been
the experience Of most OF us. We have
found that though the world is blasted
with sin, IL is very bright and beautiful
place 10 reside in. We nave had Joys in
Vulnerable. There is no hostility between
the Gospel and the merriments and the
festivities OF life. do not think that we
fully enough appreciate the worldly pleas
hICo NhOf Pl'NSs " hDh ltOu ltCbuHb yOH<M
enjoyments, you do not go far eno~
back. Why do you not 20 backAHe
timg when you were an iAX in
your mothers arms, lQG up
into the heaven OF her r~le; 10
those DAYS when you fillSS house with
the uproar OF bois lsSeakss nent; when
x. IS., ,,s.l. llI.ll . sSS sSia, 5a.l sSaS%' :"
er night, mufilsd up, On skates you
snOt-out over the resOunding ice OF the
pond? Have you forgotten all those good
days that the Lord gave your Were you
never boyI Were you never girll
Between those times and this, how many
mercies, how many kindnesses the Lord
has bestowed upon your How many Joys
have breathed up TO you from the flowers
and sbpne down 10 you from the stars,
and chanted to you with the voice of
soaring blrd, and tumbliDg cascade, and
booming sea, and thunders that with
bayonets of fire CHARGED down the noun
tain sidei Joyi joyl joyl II there Is
anyone who mas right 10 the eDjoi ments
OF the world 1t is the Christian, for God
has giVeu him lease 70 everything In the
promise: "All are yours" But have
10 tell you that man who estimates his
life on earth by mere worldly gratihca-
ton Is most unwise man. Our life IL not
10 be game OF chess. IL is not a
dance In lighted hall 10 quick music. IL
Is not the fro OF an ale pitcher. IL IL
not tue settings OF "A wine cup. IL IL not
"a nnnutinT with intnw ~ Al Inn npd unvgfar